Of schism the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the…Of schisme the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the…

But they say,¹ Peter had not only an Apostolical power with the rest of the Apostles; but also an ordinary power that was to be continued in the Church. But the Scripture being confessedly silent of any such thing, let us hear what proof is tendered for the establishment of this uncouth Assertion. Herein then thus they proceed. It will be confessed that Jesus Christ ordained his Church wisely, according to his infinite wisdom, which he exercised about his body; Now to this wisdom of his, for the prevention of innumerable evils, it is agreeable, that he should appoint some one person with that power of declaring truth, and of Jurisdiction to enforce the receiving of it, which we plead for. For this was in Peter, as is proved from the texts of Scripture before mentioned, therefore it is continued in them, that succeed him. And here lies the great stress of their cause; That to prevent evils and inconveniences, it became the wisdom of Jesus Christ to appoint a person, with all that Authority, power & infallibility, to continue ⟨p. 176⟩in his Church to the end of the world. And this plea they manage variously with much Sophistry, Rhetoric and Testimonies of Antiquity. But suppose all this should be granted; yet I am full well assured, that they can never bring it home to their concernment by any Argument, but only the actual claim of the Pope wherein he stands singly now in the world: which that it is satisfactory to make it good de fide, that he is so, will not easily be granted. The truth is, of all the attempts they make against the Lord Jesus Christ, this is one of the greatest, wherein they will assert, that it became his wisdom to do, which by no means they can prove that he hath done: which is plainly to tell us, what in their judgement he ought to have done, though he hath not; & that therefore it is incumbent on them to supply what he hath been defective in. Had he taken the care he should of them; and their Master, that he and they might have ruled and reviled over, and in the house of God, he would have appointed things as now they are, which they affirm to have become his wisdom. He was a King that once cryed, Si Deo in creatione adfuissem, mundum melius ordinassem.

But they say,¹ Peter had not only an Apostolicall power with the rest of the Apostles; but also an ordinary power that was to be continued in the Church. But the Scripture being confessedly silent of any such thing, let us heare what proof is tendered for the establishment of this uncouth Assertion. Herein then thus they proceed. It will be confessed that Jesus Christ ordained his Church wisely, according to his infinite wisedome, which he exercised about his body; Now to this wisdome of his, for the prevention of innumerable evils, it is agreeable, that he should appoint some one person with that power of declaring truth, and of Jurisdiction to enforce the receiving of it, which we plead for. For this was in Peter, as is proved from the texts of Scripture before mentioned, therefore it is continued in them, that succeed him. And here lyes the great stresse of their cause; That to prevent evills and inconveniences, it became the wisedome of Jesus Christ to appoint a person, with all that Authority, power & infallibility, to continue